"The Brigade of Guards has embraced surveillance technology as an aid to instructing foot drill. The Guards have traditionally been the regiments charged with the maintenance of standards in foot drill throughout the British Army and, in collaboration with researchers from Imperial College London, are moving foot drill into the modern age.

By adapting modern face recognition software for the Guards, researchers have been able to adapt systems more commonly used at airports for monitoring suspect's movements. The researchers programme the software to instantly spot movements of individuals that do not match either those laid down by the Guards instructors working with them, or movements that deviate from the body of men as a whole. Instructors then debrief the soldiers afterwards with the software automatically highlighting errors.

Academy Sergeant Major Stuart Simpson of Sandhurst said, "This project is aimed at cutting training time and taking drill to the highest possible standard. The Army has used simulation software for many years for Small Arms Training but this is the first time we have embraced technology on the drill square."

GSM WO1 William 'Billy' Mott OBE, Welsh Guards of London District added, "Whilst senior officers have for many years reviewed Trooping of the Colour rehearsals on video, this software looks at individual men as well as whole companies on parade."

The software is sophisticated enough to identify individual pairs of eyes glancing the wrong way, feet hitting the ground slightly behind time and rifle movements at incorrect angles.

If trials at Pirbright are successful the software called, "AimEye" will be rolled out to other training establishments, and the Guards hope to use it in judging the 2009 World Pace Sticking Championships."

dear God, Mr Brand must be rolling in his grave, whatever next..........

Does the computer shout "STAND STILL!" and "STOP FIDDLING WITH YOURSELF YOU PERVERT!"

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Ha!, don't know; but I forsee bulging veins, glaring eyes and racing pulses as Guardsmen become incandescant with irritation at the obvious desecration of their beloved Holy Ground before arcing with the PC then spontaneously combusting and vapourizing.

don't do that; give a thread a chance Guv........ it's getting to the point when a bloke can't have a serious discussion about breathtaking developments in the field of foot drill without being, "outed," just because everyones got an itchy keyboard finger on the W key and each wants to be first to strangle new ideas, discussions and debates at conception. Give Free Speech a chance!

good if obvious point. It would be a Signals thing wouldn't it, being the operator?

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Another flaw, Signals cannot march therefor would not know what to look for

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on reflection it would probably be a civpop post like most simulator operators but I don't think the microchip in the boots angle the story later mentioned will ever take off. Sounds a bit fanciful and expensive.

good if obvious point. It would be a Signals thing wouldn't it, being the operator?

Click to expand...

Another flaw, Signals cannot march therefor would not know what to look for

Click to expand...

on reflection it would probably be a civpop post like most simulator operators but I don't think the microchip in the boots angle the story later mentioned will ever take off. Sounds a bit fanciful and expensive.

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Not if you go the Off the Shelf route as an UOR, I understand that there is an American product used for the College Marching Bands...